Stockton announced before Wednesday's game in Colorado that it had signed free-agent forward Ryan Green and traded for defenseman Colten Hayes from the South Carolina Stingrays in exchange for forward Phil Mangan. Neither made it through an 8-3 loss to the Eagles in front of a crowd of 5,289 at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo.

Green, who scored Stockton's first goal, left the game with a groin injury, and Hayes was injured after taking an elbow to head from Colorado's Devin DiDiomete.

"They are hurt, and I'm not sure yet how long they will be out," Thunder coach Matt Thomas said. "It's a really bad break for us."

The Eagles (18-16-3) also may lose a player over the Hayes incident. DiDiomete was called for a major penalty for elbowing and given a game misconduct. Diomete picked up another major for fighting when he tangled with Garet Hunt immediately following the play.

Green's first-game score was a rare highlight for the Thunder (19-12-7), which allowed more goals than it had in any game this season and trailed 6-1 four minutes into the third period.

The Thunder received an opening to jump back into the game when it had a 5-on-3 situation in the third, and scored on each of the penalties to make it 6-3. Matt Reber and Justin Maylan had the power play goals for the Thunder, which still couldn't slow down the Eagles or Michael Forney, who had a hat trick.

"We played horrible." Thomas said. "We wanted to come out after the (NHL) lockout to make a statement that we would still be a tough team to beat. But if it wasn't our worst game of the year, it was close."

Hayes and Green have played previously for Stockton - Hayes last season and Green was in training camp prior to this season.

Green was praised by Thomas during camp and was a late cut after the Thunder received several players from the Edmonton Oilers, it's NHL parent franchise. With the lockout settled, three of the affiliated players - forwards Philippe Cornet, Toni Rajala and Cameron Abney - were recalled on Monday to the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League and more promotions could be coming.

Green, who is 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, played three games with the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League this season. Hayes had 21 points in 39 games with Stockton in 2011-12, and has bounced around a bit this season. He has played for the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL and the Missouri Mavericks of the ECHL, and was claimed off waivers from Fort Wayne by South Carolina on Nov. 27. Mangan had eight goals and three assists in 31 games with Stockton.